Conventional electrical receptacles include receptacle bodies having electrical plug prong-receiving slots formed therein, with a conductor assembly formed in each slot. The conductor assembly, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,743,423 and 3,081,442, usually comprises a conductor wire with a spring contact engaging the conductor wire and disposed in the slot for making frictional engagement with a prong inserted into the slot. Such constructions perform their intended functions well, but are relatively expensive to make and to install in junction boxes, multiple electrical outlet strips, or the like. Because of such disadvantages, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,334 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) has proposed the formation of the terminals from the conductors in such a way that a number of receptacles may be electrically interconnected easily together by soldering and/or crimping of the contact terminals in engagement with the current carrying wires. While such an arrangement is eminently practical it too is more expensive and time consuming than desired.
According to the present invention, an electrical receptacle is provided that eliminates all the drawbacks inherent in prior arrangements. According to the present invention an electrical receptacle is provided that has a minimum number of components and can be assembled in the simplest manner possible. The only electrical plug prong-engaging conductive components comprise the conductor wires themselves, and the wires are arranged in such a manner that no soldering or crimping is necessary to effect connection thereof. Rather the receptacle body component parts are merely snapped together to retain the wires in appropriate position, and to securely fasten the assembly to the mounting surface which could be a front plate, multiple outlet strip, or junction box, etc. Any number of receptacles can be connected in this manner with the same conductor wires. Such an arrangement provides the epitomy of simplicity, minimized costs, and minimized labor in assembling components.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical receptacle is provided by a receptacle body of electrical insulating material with means defining first and second spaced, parallel, elongated prong-receiving slots in the receptacle body. First and second conductor wires are provided, each having a bare, uninsulated portion thereof and each being substantially longer than any dimension of the body. Means are formed in the receptacle body for receiving the first and second conductor wire bare portions and mounting the first conductor wire bare portion so that it intersects the first prong-receiving slot, and for mounting the second conductor wire bare portion so that it intersects the second prong-receiving slot. The conductor wires are mounted so that the first and second wire conductor bare portions will be directly engaged by an electrical plug prong when the prong is inserted into the respective first and second prong-receiving slots. Resilient biasing means (such as a portion of the receptacle body) are provided for resiliently biasing the first and second conductor wire bare portions into intersecting relationship with the first and second prong-receiving slots. The receptacle body is preferably formed in two parts, a face part having the prong-receiving slots formed therein and having grooves along the sides thereof for receiving the conductor wires, and a rear part which is generally U-shaped and is adapted to snap into engagement with the face part and cover the sides and bottom thereof. A ground conductor and prong-receiving slot also are preferably provided in the receptacle body.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical receptacle is provided comprising a receptacle body of electrical insulating material and including a face part and a rear part, and conductor means. Means define first and second parallel, spaced elongated prong-receiving slots in the receptacle body face part, and the slots are open along the opposite sides of the body face part. Means define first and second grooves in the body face part sides, each of the grooves substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the first and second slots, and the first groove intersecting the first slot and the second groove intersecting the second slot. The receptacle body rear part includes a resilient portion thereof, and attaching means are provided for attaching the receptacle body face and rear parts together. The conductor means provide electrical connection with an electrical prong inserted into each of the prong-receiving slots, and the conductor means consist of first and second conductor wires each having a bare portion thereof. The first wire is received by the first groove and has the bare portion thereof at the intersection of the first groove with the first slot, and the second wire is received by the second groove and has the bare portion thereof at the area of intersection of the second groove with the second slot. The attaching means attach the body parts together so that the rear part resiliently biases the first and second conductor wire bare portions into intersecting relationship with the respective prong-receiving slots.
An electrical receptacle according to the invention may be combined with a plurality of other identical electrical receptacles, with the first and second conductor wires being common to all of the plurality of receptacles.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of making an electrical receptacle is provided. The method steps include: Forming an electrical receptacle body face part of electrical insulating material. Forming first and second spaced, parallel, elongated prong-receiving slots in the face part. Forming first and second wire-receiving grooves in the sides of the face part, both grooves being substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the prong-receiving slots, and the first groove intersecting the first slot, and the second groove intersecting the second slot. Forming an electrical receptacle body rear part of electrical insulating material, with a resilient portion thereof. And, providing conductors for making contact with an electrical plug prong inserted into the prong-receiving slots. The conductors-providing step consists of the substeps of providing first and second conductor wires, each having a bare portion thereof; placing the first conductor wire in the first groove with the bare portion thereof at the area of intersection of the first groove and the first slot; placing the second conductor wire in the second groove with the bare portion thereof at the area of intersection of the second groove and the second slot; and fixing the electrical receptacle body face and rear parts together so that the body rear part resilient portion engages the first and second conductor wire bare portions and biases them into intersecting relationship with the first and second prong-receiving slots, and covers the sides of the face part. Spring members integral with the receptacle rear part accommodate variations in thickness of the mounting surface.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, electrical receptacle having the minimum number of parts and being electrically connectable without soldering or crimping of any terminal components or the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.